A Level Business Studies

What is it?

Do you want to be the next Alan Sugar? This course will help you understand how an organisation is managed, overcomes potential problems and becomes successful in the market place.

Why study this subject at Blackpool Sixth?

Studying business allows you to take the opportunity to further develop your knowledge of the subject. We run a business trip to New York city, where you will be put into the heart of the financial district on Wall Street, as well as seeing the main sites including the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty. You can also be a part of the business and ICT trip to Disneyland, Paris, and attend the Business Live conference, where you can hear talks from some of the biggest and most successful entrepreneurs in the business world. You also have the opportunity to be involved in the Career Ready scheme improving your employability skills and gaining valuable work experience with some of the UK’s top businesses.

What skills will I develop?

• A broad and general knowledge of the business world.
• Problem-solving and critical thinking.
• Research skills
• Communication and presentation skills
• Teamwork and collaborative problem-solving
• Time-management
• Independent study skills
• Quantitative skills

How will I be taught?

Pair and group work, e.g. brainstorming; short presentations; reading up-to-date articles on business news; collaborative research tasks; short video clips; quizzes; exam-style questions.

How will I be assessed?

100% examination:

• Paper 1: Marketing, people and global businesses (35% of the total qualification)
• Paper 2: Business activities, decisions and strategy (35% of the total qualification)
• Paper 3: Investigating business in a competitive environment (30% of the total qualification)

Teacher expertise

Danny Topping spent 8 years working in industry as an IT developer in financial services and as a financial advisor overseas before re-training as a teacher. Dan Reeds has, in the past, helped support and manage family-run businesses in Blackpool including a restaurant as well as being an examiner for the A Level Business Studies course

Field trips, projects and employability opportunities

Students have the option to take part in various trips during their two-year study of business studies. These include either a trip to New York City to visit the Financial District and meet a former student, who works in the city, or Disneyland Paris to attend the Business Live conference. Students can also take part in local trip to Manchester United and the Trafford Centre, University workshops as well being able to join the Career Ready/BSIT Employability programme to further their employability prospects and gain valuable work experience.

Where does it lead?

The majority of students go onto university to study a wide array of business courses including business management, finance and international business. Universities students regularly progress to include Lancaster, Nottingham, Durham, London School of Economics as well as one student securing a place at Cambridge University. A number of students have secured apprenticeships at BAE Systems.

Equipment

Students will require a calculator.

Examination board

Edexcel.